GOP lawmakers outline state budget proposal at public forum in Norwalk

Published 8:00 pm, Monday, April 27, 2009

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State House Republican leader Lawrence Cafero hosts "The No Tax Increase Budget, We can Do It Without Raising Your Taxes" budget forum at Roton middle school in Norwalk on Tuesday./hour photo matthew vinci

State House Republican leader Lawrence Cafero hosts "The No Tax Increase Budget, We can Do It Without Raising Your Taxes" budget forum at Roton middle school in Norwalk on Tuesday./hour photo matthew vinci

GOP lawmakers outline state budget proposal at public forum in Norwalk

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NORWALK

By ROBERT KOCH

Hour Staff Writer

House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-142, and state Rep. Terrie Wood, R-141, explained during a public forum at Roton Middle School Tuesday night how Republican lawmakers hope to pass a "No Tax Increase Budget."

Through spending cuts, state employee concessions and agency consolidations, Republicans hope to see approved a 2010-11 state budget that does not boost taxes.

Cafero said the bottom line would stand about $2 billion less than Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell's proposed budget, as well as the spending package put forward by Democrats.

Since early February, when Rell presented her recommended two-year, $38.4-billion budget, the projected deficit has grown from $6 billion to $8.1 billion, according to Cafero.

"What it means is that if we kept our current level of spending, our current level of services ... we would be $6 billion in deficit by the end of fiscal year 2011," Cafero said.

Cafero described the economic recession as the worst crisis in memory. He said Connecticut will be in as dire straits as California, if the deficit is not mitigated. Unlike the federal government, the state must adopt a balanced budget, where revenues match expenditures, he said.

The budget presentation, attended by only a handful of people, came as legislative leaders hammer out a 2010-11 budget. The legislative session ends June 3.

By that date, Republicans hope to put forward a budget whose bottom line stands around $36.2 billion. Cafero told The Hour that Republicans are going to "drive the debate of where we're going to end up (on the bottom line) downward."

"Yes, there are some sacrifices. But it's not dooms day," Cafero said. "We have to make those sacrifices."

The House Republican leader said savings can be made through spending cuts, employee concessions and the consolidation of state agencies - while flat-lining rather than cutting state aid to municipalities. Aid cuts force municipalities to raise property taxes, he said.

On state employee concessions, Republicans are asking for an 18-month wage freeze, six furlough days per state employee each year, and raising employees' medical co-pays for doctor visits from $10 to $30.

About a half-dozen people attended the budget presentation and question-and-answer period that followed.

"Congratulations. This is very well-done. I just hope (the No Tax Increase Budget) gets a lot of distribution," said Bill Nightingale Sr. "But real world, what are the chances of getting something like this done, given the political climate and the political makeup of the legislature?"

Said Cafero: "Don't worry about numbers, let your voice be heard in any way you can."

Cafero commended Rell for putting in place a state hiring freeze, cutting out-of-state travel for state employees and other measures. Lawmakers, however, did not fully adopt Rell's deficit-mitigation plans, he said.

Wood said Democratic lawmakers put forward a $38.2-billion spending package April 2. While acknowledging the lower bottom line, Wood took aim at aspects of the package.

"Their spending package was slightly below the governor's," Wood said. But "there were no consolidations or elimination of agencies, and that's where I personally have an issue."